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HOUSTON, TX – MARCH 27: Isaac Paredes #15 of the Houston Astros throws to first for an out in the fourth inning during the game between the New York Mets and the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on Thursday, March 27, 2025 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kevin M. Cox/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Isaac Paredes: The Best Player Who Keeps Getting Traded

Originally posted on Just Baseball | By Michael Monreal | Last updated Nov 20, 2025 12:00 PM ET

Third base is one of the most loaded positions in all of baseball right now. Superstars like Jose Ramirez and Manny Machado headline the group of elite players that consistently hold down the hot corner.

However, there’s one name that is repeatedly forgotten when discussing the very best at third base: Isaac Paredes.

Since getting legitimate run in 2022, Paredes has gotten off to a stellar start to his young career and quickly solidified himself as a premier hitter when it comes to third basemen. However, he’s already done it for four different teams throughout his six-year career (four full seasons).

Let’s take a look into why Parades is the best player who keeps getting traded and why this cycle might be coming to an end heading into 2026.

Early Career of Isaac Paredes

Paredes was originally signed by the Cubs in 2015 and stayed with the club until 2017, when he was a piece moved in the Alex Avila trade between Chicago and the Tigers. After that trade, Paredes would continue to float around the organization’s top five prospects for a number of years.

He would end up making his MLB debut with Detroit in the middle of the shortened 2020 season, beginning his most forgettable tenure with any team. Paredes played just 57 games with the Tigers between 2020 and 2021, hitting just .215 with a 64 wRC+ in that time.

This would lead to the Tigers trading Paredes to the Tampa Bay Rays in early April of 2022 in what would end up being a career-altering move. It was with the Rays where he flourished into the player we know today.

Paredes will never be a guy to hit for a high average. However, despite a mere .232 bating average between 2022 and 2023, he held a 127 wRC+ in those two full seasons with the Rays. This was heavily influenced by his 51 home runs and 143 RBIs in just 952 plate appearances.

This was a good look for both parties involved. On one side, Parades had finally developed into the masher that many thought he’d be as a prospect. On the other, the Rays continued their title as one of the best developmental organization in all of MLB.

Two Trades in One Year?

Now, heading into 2024, Paredes looked like a true building block for the Rays. As a team that would never sign a superstar slugger, he was a controllable and talented player that could man the hot corner for the majority of the next decade.

However, that all changed halfway through 2024. Despite an OPS right around .800 (.792) through July of that year, Paredes was dealt to the Chicago Cubs at the deadline.

Those around the baseball world assumed Paredes had finally found his long-term home. The Cubs didn’t have an everyday third baseman on the roster, giving him the run to finally settle down and become one of the elite third basemen in baseball.

Unfortunately, that didn’t end up being the case for him. Paredes would go on to struggle with the Cubs, for the first time in his career since 2021. He managed only three home runs and a 84 wRC+ while playing on the north side of Chicago.

All of a sudden, Paredes was excess and the Cubs needs runway for one of their premier prospects, Matt Shaw. This led to him being dealt, once again.

Paredes was one of the main pieces going back to Houston for superstar Kyle Tucker. Immediately, fans thought Paredes would be an absolute monster with the short porch in left field at Daikin Park.

Parades’ 2025

This trade would end up being a beneficial move for Houston, despite losing one of the best players in baseball in Tucker. The pull side power was in full effect and that short porch was getting cleared as easy as ever by Paredes.

Isaac Paredes’ Home Run Spray Chart 2025

While he did deal with a bit of injury in 2025, Paredes still put up an impressive season in right around 100 games. He posted his third career season with at least 20 home runs, slashed .254/.352/.458, and held a 128 wRC+.

This led to Paredes finally getting a decent amount of job security in Houston. Just recently, the Astros front office was asked about the possibility of trading an infielder due to their logjam of corner infielders.

Despite him most likely netting a big-time return if floated on the trade market once again, the Astros are currently not interested in moving Paredes:

“I’m sure there would be a market for Paredes if we decided to trade him. But right now, we think that he’s a guy that we do not want to trade.”

– Dana Brown via The Houston Chronicle

While this could change in one phone call, the Astros have one of the best hitting third basemen in all of baseball. Of all third basemen with at least 500 plate appearances between 2024 and 2025, he has the fifth-best wRC+ at 125 and is seventh in fWAR at 5.8.

Players like those are not easy to come by, and the Astros have a good one manning their hot corner for the time being. It appears as if Parades has finally found his long-term home.

This article first appeared on Just Baseball and was syndicated with permission.

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